The Facilitating Role of Enjoyment and Anxiety in Shaping ( AI ‐Mediated) Informal Language Learning and Confidence: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed‐Methods Investigation

ABSTRACT Background Despite growing attention to English education in Bangladesh, conventional classroom instruction often fails to meet learners' diverse needs or ensure effective language development. Informal digital learning of English (IDLE) has emerged as a promising avenue for fostering learners' affective experience and enhancing proficiency beyond formal classroom settings. Nevertheless, empirical evidence on how Bangladeshi learners participate in and experience self‐directed language learning remains scarce, underscoring the need for further investigation. Objectives Drawing on the broaden‐and‐build theory, this study examines how foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language anxiety (FLA)…